Man charged in two North Side home invasions

Carlos Sadovi

A man with an extensive criminal record has been charged with two home invasions on the North Side, including one where he allegedly beat a 65-year-old woman, police said.

Jacob Reeves, 23, of the 1400 block of West Pratt Avenue was ordered held on $350,000 bail after being charged with residential burglary and home invasion, said Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

The latest incident occurred Sunday morning when Reeves broke into the home of the 65-year-old woman on the 3700 block of North Clark Street, police said.

In court, prosecutors said that once he broke into her home he jumped on top of the woman as she lay in bed and choked her while demanding money, said Conklin. He fled when the woman told him that she didn't have any cash, Conklin said.

Reeves fled with the woman's identification and several credit cards, police and Conklin said. Police were able to find the man's fingerprints on the woman's identification card along with a Jewel Food Store card which were tossed away outside not far from the woman's home, prosecutors said.

Police also were alerted to Reeves after he tried to use the woman's credit card at a store but used his own identification card when asked for his ID, said Conklin.

Police then were able to track where the woman's credit card had been used and reviewed surveillance video which apparently show Reeves using the items, said Conklin.

The woman was taken in fair condition to an area hospital.

The other incident occurred at about 6 a.m. on June 19, police and prosecutors said. Reeves entered the home of a 28-year-old woman on the 800 block of West Cornelia Avenue, according to police and Conklin.

The woman screamed and fought off Reeves before he fled with her laptop computer, identification and several credit cards, police said.

Investigators with the Belmont District burglary team, along with Belmont Area detectives, arrested Reeves after the women provided a description and then identified Reeves, police said.

Police are investigating whether Reeves is also responsible for other attacks. Reeves has been arrested 28 times over the years for petty offenses such as shoplifting, tresspassing, and minor drug offenses.